In Austria, associated discrimination is prohibited under the Equal Treatment Act (Gleichbehandlungsgesetz, GlBG) under section 5(4), section 19(4) and section 21(4). In 2011, the grounds for associated discrimination were expanded to include ethnicity, religion and belief, age and sexual orientation. In addition, § 7b para. 5 of the Disability Employment Act (BeinstG) also prohibits discrimination on grounds of a close relationship to a person with a disability. The Austrian Federal Disability Equality Act (Bundes-Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz, BGStG) was also revised in 2011 to the effect that, according to § 4 para. 2, discrimination also exists if a person is disadvantaged due to a close relationship to a person with a disability.

A major case in Austria started with the refusal of admission of Austrian citizens with a migration history to a club. Their friends, who had already been granted admission, were subsequently expelled from the club because they had complained about the rejection of their companions. Due to section 32 (4) of the Austrian Equal Treatment Act, which stipulates that discrimination also exists “if a person is discriminated against on grounds of their close relationship to a person because of their gender or their ethnicity”, it was possible for the associated persons to defend themselves against the discrimination. In this case, the term “close relationship” was interpreted beyond the family context for the first time, so that friendly relationships were also included.